According to 2012 federal guidelines, a family of four living on $14,000 a year puts them $9,000 below the poverty line. The median household income in the U.S. was $50,054 in 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but the Wagasky family’s frugal approach has them living a life that is “blissful and domestic,’’ according to the title of Danielle’s blog.

For four years, the couple and their kids, Keigan and Libby, have managed with careful planning, using a clothes line in lieu of a dryer and making their own laundry soap. Danielle, 28, shares her tips for frugal living on her blog, writing about how she learned to cook and how her husband built their kitchen.

“I’m happier this way,’’ Danielle told TODAY Friday. “I feel like we’re happier. We’re a better family.” ...